Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. Announces Installation of a New Production Line for LTPS TFT LCD Panels in Ishikawa Works.

 
Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd. (TMD) will invest approximately 30 billion yen (approximately $270M) to install a new production line to produce low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in its Ishikawa Works (at Kawakita-machi, Nomi-gun, Ishikawa Prefecture) to increase production capacity to meet growing demand.

TMD first started operation of its new plant for production of LTPS LCD panels at Ishikawa Works in April 2006. The new production line will be installed in the new plant to keep pace with the growing demand for small- to medium-sized TFT LCD panels, especially for the mobile phone and in-vehicle applications. The new line is scheduled to begin operation in October 2007. Production will be successively increased in Ishikawa Works until a monthly production capacity of approximately 8.5 million LTPS LCDs (in terms of 2.2-inch panels for mobile phones) is attained in January 2008. When combined with the Fukaya Works operations, TMD's total monthly production capacity will reach approximately 15 million LTPS LCDs (in terms of 2.2-inch panels for mobile applications).

In 2005 the market for small- to medium-sized TFT LCDs grew to 1.84 trillion yen, representing a 16% increase compared with the previous year (based on data provided by DisplaySearch), and the market is expected to grow further in a wide variety of applications, including mobile phones, car navigation systems and other vehicle-mounted devices. Vigorous demand for LTPS LCDs is being driven particularly by mobile phones offering higher resolution images with more advanced features; new, more sophisticated vehicle-installed displays; and portable digital audio players. 

In order to keep pace with the market demand, the new production line will use a glass substrate measuring 730mm x 920mm with a thickness of 0.5mm (a 4th generation, thinner glass substrate), which is one of the largest of its kind. This size has been installed in the new Ishikawa Works plant since the start of its operation. The new production line will ensure a stable supply to meet the needs of TMD's worldwide customers. 

TMD is also developing a wide selection of LTPS LCD products based on our proprietary leading-edge technologies such as System On Glass (SOG), a high value-adding technology which integrates peripheral IC circuitry and many other additional functions into the LCD panel, and Optically Compensated Bend (OCB) which provides an excellent level of display performance including wide viewing angle and faster response time, even at low temperatures.

The new line at Ishikawa Works will reduce lead-time for procurement of subassemblies due to the integration of peripheral IC circuitry into the glass substrate and will also reduce lead-time for manufacturing due to the reduction in the number of array processes. The new plant will also produce multi-functional products with built-in sensors and other capabilities, and will also produce high-reliability products due to a reduction in the required number of interconnects with external circuitry.

TMD is ready to offer a wider choice of products with the advantages mentioned above and to respond to diversified customer needs for more flexibility and precision.

[Outline of the new production line]

Location	26-2 Aza Yamada-Senden, Kawakita-machi, Nomi-gun, Ishikawa Prefecture (within the premises of the existing Ishikawa Works)
Building construction	4-story building of steel frame construction (the new plant building)
Total floor are	34,245 m2 (the new plant building)
Start of construction	December 2006
Start of operation	October 2007
Substrate size	730 x 920 x 0.5 thickness (mm): 4th generation, thinner glass substrate
Additional production capacity Total production capacity	More than 12,000 sheets/monthApprox. 3 million units/month (in terms of 2.2-inch panels for mobile phones)  More than 32,000 sheets/monthApprox. 8.5 million units/month (in terms of 2.2-inch panels for mobile phones)

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